http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/11642971p-12532023c.html
Kings have a bench, and it's built tough
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 6:39 am PST Friday, December 3, 2004
Kings coach Rick Adelman has been happy with the play of reserve forward Matt Barnes, a Sacramento product.
Kings coach Rick Adelman has been trying to find a quantity others say doesn't exist.
Some observers say the Kings don't have a bench.
Not so fast, say the Kings.
Certainly, they don't have the depth of two seasons ago when Bobby and Jimmy Jackson came off the bench with Keon Clark and Hedo Turkoglu. In fact, back then when Turkoglu hurt his hand, Jimmy Jackson snatched his minutes.
In those days, Gerald Wallace, Scot Pollard and Damon Jones couldn't get on the floor other than in a blowout.
Bobby Jackson is the lone returnee among that group, but with Darius Songaila, Greg Ostertag and Matt Barnes comprises a four-man rotation in which Adelman has found some faith. Call them the invisible four.
"I think with Greg and Darius off the bench as the big guys," Adelman said, "I feel good about those two (big) guys and what they can give us. Matt has been real solid. The last few games, he's made shots, he hasn't made mistakes, he makes passes, and he goes to the boards. And then we've got Bobby."
That's the superior Bobby of the past five games and not the inferior Bobby of most of the previous 10.
Bobby Jackson has shot 29 of 54 (53.7 percent) overall and 9 of 19 from three-point range (47.4 percent) during the past five games. Along with 14 of 17 from the free-throw line, Jackson has averaged 16.2 points during this stretch.
His presence has provided juice to a reserve crew that previously was punchless.
The Kings' starting five eventually will determine this team's direction. But any support - offensively, defensively or from a rebounding or energy standpoint - certainly will help.
Adelman says he'd like to add one player to the bench rotation. However, he also would like to get all of Chris Webber's jumping ability back and add 40 percent more to Brad Miller's leaps.
But neither of those will occur, and it's as unlikely that anything other than an injury will change the rotation as it is now.
"I'd like to get one more guy in there," Adelman said, "but it's almost impossible if you're going to get Bobby on the floor for a lot of minutes. So I feel good with those nine guys, and we can play those nine, and when the time is right maybe it's going to open it up for Maurice (Evans) or Kevin (Martin).
"But right now, I think the nine players we are playing are pretty good."
Adelman will continue to keep some of his starters on the floor with the reserves. But Songaila has shown he can score in addition to doing the little things.
Ostertag never will win any beauty or style contests. However, he will clog the middle - or anyplace else he stands, for that matter - and now that his fractured right (shooting) hand has healed, he's capable of a put-back or a hook shot to add to the offense.
Ostertag has watched Adelman go small to match up with other teams and hopes to convince his coach to go big across the frontline.
"I've watched him in the past when (Utah coach) Jerry (Sloan) used him to guard people like (Kevin) Garnett because he is long and smart," Adelman said. "But that's going to take me some time to get comfortable with. Because we got off to such a bad start, I was just trying to find a rhythm with this team."
Part of that rhythm has entailed the usage of Barnes, the hometown free agent, who only needs to minimize turnovers to stay on the floor.
"I knew eventually I'd get in there," Barnes said of the rotation. "I started off earlier in the season playing a lot because we were struggling. But as we've started to hit this roll, coach has started to find more and more confidence in me. First, it was five minutes, and now I'm playing some in the second half. Anytime I'm in there, I'm trying to provide a spark and help this team get on its feet. "I know my role, whether it's nine minutes or 15 minutes: Go out there, rebound, play defense and knock down the open shot."
Kings have a bench, and it's built tough
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 6:39 am PST Friday, December 3, 2004
Kings coach Rick Adelman has been happy with the play of reserve forward Matt Barnes, a Sacramento product.
Kings coach Rick Adelman has been trying to find a quantity others say doesn't exist.
Some observers say the Kings don't have a bench.
Not so fast, say the Kings.
Certainly, they don't have the depth of two seasons ago when Bobby and Jimmy Jackson came off the bench with Keon Clark and Hedo Turkoglu. In fact, back then when Turkoglu hurt his hand, Jimmy Jackson snatched his minutes.
In those days, Gerald Wallace, Scot Pollard and Damon Jones couldn't get on the floor other than in a blowout.
Bobby Jackson is the lone returnee among that group, but with Darius Songaila, Greg Ostertag and Matt Barnes comprises a four-man rotation in which Adelman has found some faith. Call them the invisible four.
"I think with Greg and Darius off the bench as the big guys," Adelman said, "I feel good about those two (big) guys and what they can give us. Matt has been real solid. The last few games, he's made shots, he hasn't made mistakes, he makes passes, and he goes to the boards. And then we've got Bobby."
That's the superior Bobby of the past five games and not the inferior Bobby of most of the previous 10.
Bobby Jackson has shot 29 of 54 (53.7 percent) overall and 9 of 19 from three-point range (47.4 percent) during the past five games. Along with 14 of 17 from the free-throw line, Jackson has averaged 16.2 points during this stretch.
His presence has provided juice to a reserve crew that previously was punchless.
The Kings' starting five eventually will determine this team's direction. But any support - offensively, defensively or from a rebounding or energy standpoint - certainly will help.
Adelman says he'd like to add one player to the bench rotation. However, he also would like to get all of Chris Webber's jumping ability back and add 40 percent more to Brad Miller's leaps.
But neither of those will occur, and it's as unlikely that anything other than an injury will change the rotation as it is now.
"I'd like to get one more guy in there," Adelman said, "but it's almost impossible if you're going to get Bobby on the floor for a lot of minutes. So I feel good with those nine guys, and we can play those nine, and when the time is right maybe it's going to open it up for Maurice (Evans) or Kevin (Martin).
"But right now, I think the nine players we are playing are pretty good."
Adelman will continue to keep some of his starters on the floor with the reserves. But Songaila has shown he can score in addition to doing the little things.
Ostertag never will win any beauty or style contests. However, he will clog the middle - or anyplace else he stands, for that matter - and now that his fractured right (shooting) hand has healed, he's capable of a put-back or a hook shot to add to the offense.
Ostertag has watched Adelman go small to match up with other teams and hopes to convince his coach to go big across the frontline.
"I've watched him in the past when (Utah coach) Jerry (Sloan) used him to guard people like (Kevin) Garnett because he is long and smart," Adelman said. "But that's going to take me some time to get comfortable with. Because we got off to such a bad start, I was just trying to find a rhythm with this team."
Part of that rhythm has entailed the usage of Barnes, the hometown free agent, who only needs to minimize turnovers to stay on the floor.
"I knew eventually I'd get in there," Barnes said of the rotation. "I started off earlier in the season playing a lot because we were struggling. But as we've started to hit this roll, coach has started to find more and more confidence in me. First, it was five minutes, and now I'm playing some in the second half. Anytime I'm in there, I'm trying to provide a spark and help this team get on its feet. "I know my role, whether it's nine minutes or 15 minutes: Go out there, rebound, play defense and knock down the open shot."
